Conventional percussion instruments include, without limitation, drums, tambourines, cowbells, cymbals, castanets, maracas, and wooden blocks. Percussion instruments used to create unconventional sounds include, without limitation, garbage cans, garbage can lines, metal pots and pans, washboards and hollow logs.
Handheld percussion instruments and noisemakers are found in concert halls, schools, sports stadiums, at New Year's celebrations, at birthday parties, and at a host of other events and special occasions. Musicians, performers, cheering fans and partygoers use percussion instruments and noisemakers to make more sounds, louder sounds and noise, and/or different sounds and noise than if, they were just using their voices or hands to create the same or similar sounds or noise. Percussion instruments and noisemakers can also assist a person's ability to make musical sounds or noise over longer periods with relative ease.
An example of a conventional handheld percussion instrument and noisemaker is the Smith instrument illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,922, which is a sound-producing clapper assembly capable of producing, a soft pattering sound and an alternative, louder, rattling drum-roll noise. A limitation in Smith's design is that it only produces two distinct sounds. Furthermore, the majority of the sound generated cannot be projected in any one particular direction. The sound produced moves away from the device in a 360-degree pattern. This 360-degree pattern could project sound in the direction of people nearby who may find the noise undesirable.
Handheld noisemaking devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,761 issued to Kalinowski, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D373,150, issued to Zaksenberg and in U.S. Design Pat. No. D392,000 issued to Rapp. The Kalinowski, Zaksenberg, and Rapp designs are each noisemakers that use a handle to force multiple outer paddles to strike a center paddle creating sound. Zaksenberg and Rapp both designed their noisemakers with their outer paddles located closer to the center paddle. Kalinowski was able to show why the Zaksenberg and Rapp designs provided an insufficient amount of sound. Kalinowski successfully increased the sound of his design when he repositioned the paddles further away from his center paddle by relocating the pivot area.
Another example of a known noisemaker is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 20010034177 issued to Hunn, who describes a noisemaking device consisting of a head at tone end attached to a handle. The handle is at least partially hollow. A user is able to, at least partially create noise by filling the handle with various items like bells and balls and shaking the noisemaking device causing the contents to rattle off the inside of the handle. Because a person must hold the handle to use Hunn's noisemaking device, the person's hand may undesirably reduce the level of noise resonating from the device.
Hunn's noisemaking device like those illustrated earlier by Smith, Kalinowski, Zaksenberg and Rapp, project only a moderate amount of sound a short distance and mostly in a 360-degree pattern. Furthermore, the designs by Smith, Hunn, Kalinowski, Zaksenberg, and Rapp each produce generally only one or two sounds, either increasing or decreasing depending on the amount of effort used to activate the device.
Another example of a noisemaker is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 186,169 issued to Rowbotham, who describes a noisemaking device consisting of a steel box enclosing a flat steel plate that, when depressed, creates a clicking sound. U.S. army paratroopers used a similar device called a “cricket” during WWII to quietly communicate to one another during dangerous situations. Examples of the noisemaker are documented in books titled “D-Day: Jun. 6, 1944” by Stephen E. Ambrose; “D-Day: The Strategy, the Men, the Equipment” by Bernard C. Nulty; “D-Day: As They Saw It” by Lord Carver and many others. The “cricket” was first a toy before the military made it part of their lifesaving equipment. Today a similar handheld device is used to train animals.
The “cricket” generally consisted of two pieces of steel; one served as the body of the noisemaking device and the other was usually a thin, flat, rectangular piece used to make the actual noise. The “cricket” requires a user to create noise by using their thumb or finger to bend the flat, rectangular piece of steel. The use of the user's thumb or finger to bend the steel plate could easily cause the muscles of their hand to become weak if operated for more than a short period. The device only produces two sounds; one when a user presses down on the steel plate and another slightly different sound when the user releases the steel plate.
Another example of a known noisemaker is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,272 issued to Molenaar, who illustrates a sound generating device similar to the “cricket”, consisting of a steel box enclosing a piece of flat steel plate which when depressed creates a clicking sound. The difference between Molenaar's sound generating device and the “cricket” is how the steel plate is held firm inside the device. The “cricket” is designed so that only one end of the steel plate is allowed to bend. Molenaar's device is designed so that neither end of the steel plate is allowed to bend. Molenaar's device creates sound by bending the middle of the steel plate. A person using the device is required to use their finger to activate the steel plate by pressing down on the steel plate. The device, like the “cricket” is only able to produce a limited amount of sound and project sound a short distance. Also, Molenaar's design creates limited sound because the user is required to press on the very area that produces the sound.
Furthermore, most past and present noisemakers used at parades, parties, sports arenas, and many other events are often provided to the public free of charge. Numerous companies purchase noisemakers to advertise their names and logos in hopes of generating future business. Many of the noisemakers purchased are made of materials that limit the size of a company's name and logo to one color. Many of these noisemakers also limit the amount of space available for advertising. An advertiser needs a noisemaker that is made with a material that can allow for using several colors and a larger imprint area for advertising. A noisemaker that offers multiple color imprinting and a larger imprint area at prices similar to a competitor's noisemaker is a tremendous advantage to the advertiser.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved handheld noisemaker that is able to create a variety of sounds, that is able to direct the sound in a particular direction and that is easy to use. There is also a need for a noisemaker that can be made of a material that can be imprinted with several colors, and that provides a substantial imprint area advertising.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.